1. Field of the Invention:
The present invention relates to a card processing system which uses IC cards (integrated circuit cards). More particularly, it relates to a system for processing IC cards with a display function which is well suited to visually display guidance information effective for a card user on a display equipment such as of liquid crystal built in each IC card.
2. Description of the Prior Art:
An IC card can store a comparatively large number of information items therein, and has excellent features for keeping secrecy. Heretofore, various card processing systems utilizing these features of the IC cards and performing the identification of individuals, the management of the specified information of the individuals and the attendant information processes have been constructed.
Such card processing systems and apparatuses are described in NIKKEI ELECTRONICS dated Dec. 2, 1985, pp. 275-292, and the same bulletin dated Dec. 16, 1985, pp. 249-262.
Now, the card processing system in a prior art will be outlined as to a case of application to hospital management.
In a hospital, the IC card processing system is utilized for the systems of outpatient receipt management, anamnesis management, inspection data management, account management, etc. More specifically, a patient bears an IC card for his/her exclusive use and submits the IC card to a reception window. In the reception window, the IC card is inserted into an IC card reader/writer installed there, whereby the contents of the IC card are read to identify the patient. In a case where the patient is a new patient for the first medical examination, his/her condition, the desired contents of medical examination and treatment, etc. are written into the IC card in a predetermined format. On the other hand, in case of medical re-examination, the condition of a disease, the expected contents of medical examination and treatment, etc. at the current time are written into the IC card in a predetermined format by reference to the previous contents of medical examination and treatment stored in the IC card.
Subsequently, the patient bears the IC card and goes to the reception window of a designated department, to which he/she submits the IC card. In the departmental window, the IC card is subjected to a receipt process by the use of a card reader/writer installed in this window, whereupon information items on the examined and treated contents, the prescriptions of medicines, the necessity of any inspection, etc. are written into the IC card. If necessary, the patient goes to an inspection room, in which he/she is inspected and the results of the inspection are written into the IC card as in the foregoing. Likewise, the patient further goes to pertinent sections and is given necessary treatments in succession, and information items are written into the IC card or the contents of the IC card are updated in correspondence with the treatments. Lastly, the patient receives medicines prescribed on the basis of the information contained in the IC card, at a pharmacist's office. On that occasion, the fee is automatically paid from, for example, the deposit account of the patient through a bank system externally connected.
With the prior-art example, however, notwithstanding that the patient must go to a large number of sections in succession within the hospital, no means is comprised for effectively informing the patient of the guides of the goals, the instructions of precautions, etc., and such matters are often conveyed orally. This has led to such problems that many mistakes arise and that a wasteful time is expended for seeking the desired section.